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10 Players That Killed At The World Cup And Then Disappeared From The Game Forever

Professional sports is a cruel business. One day, you’re representing your nation on the field at the world’s biggest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup. Then, nobody can remember your name because you’re playing for a minnow of a team in the Czech leagues. That’s because whatever you once had, you don’t have it now. Just like these 10 soccer players who killed at the World Cup only to see their careers die.

Simone Baron: The Italian Everyone Hated

Twitter

Nobody even knows why Simone Baron was at the World Cup. Yet, he was in the 2006 Italy side which took the honors even though his quality of play saw him relegated more than once in the league.

Mario Gotze: A Performance Out Of His Control

Bleacher Report

His work for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final was excellent, but he has been sick with a metabolic illness ever since and has done nothing at the club level.

Heinz Kwiatowski: The German Goalie Nobody Remembers

BVB

He won four caps for Germany and was taken to the 1958 World Cup where he acquited himself admirably, only to fade into total obscurity after it.

Salvatore Schillaci: A Six Time Stunner

Pinterest

He smashed in 6 goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup and then only found the net once for Italy ever again. Salvatore Schillaci was a one trick pony.

Jair Marinho: The Boring Brazilian

YouTube

Jair Marinho was part of Brazil’s 1962 World Cup winning team, but he would go on to be nothing better than average at a local level.

Bernard Diomède: The French Flop

Talksport

Bernard would win the world cup with France in 1998. He would then go on to play for Liverpool, but it wouldn’t last. He was soon playing in the French 3rd Division because his football was awful.

Luiz Carlos Nascimento Júnior: The Bad Brazilian

UOL

Better known as Luizao, Luiz Carlos Nascimento Júnior was part of the Brazil World Cup team of 2008. Sadly, his club football saw him eventually playing for the British low league club Grimsby Town who released him for non-performance.

Preben Elkjaer Was Smoking Heavily

Pinterest

He was an excellent striker in 1986 for the Danish World Cup side, but by 1988 his smoking had left him a coughing wreck who could contribute nothing on the field.

Hong Myung-bo, Who Exactly?

The Sportsman

Hong Myung-bo was South Korea’s star player in the 2002 world cup. His reward? To be packed off for two seasons of obscurity in the MLS before retiring.

Tim Howard: Team USA’s Minor Disaster

ABC News

His goalkeeping in the USA’s 2014 World Cup was great and got them to the quarterfinals. When he went back to his club Everton, he was dogged by injury and never really performed again.